The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Spicing Up The Winter Nights With Rich Hot Chocolate And Thermal Tights!

[Mouseface]

Hello, I'm Mouse

I'm one of the Brave Babes travelling on this fantabulous Bus, on it's journey to the wonderful world of sobriety.

The great thing is, that the people on here are a real mixed bunch. Some are drinking regularly, some aren't. Some are sober and have been for any number of days, some weeks, months and yep, some even for years.

There's no judging pants allowed, no savoury flans either , just lots of unconditional support from many varied sources. Yes, some of us have been here from the start but please don't let that stop you posting, this thread is for EVERYONE and it always has been

If you'd like to have a look back, here are some links. One to the previous thread and one to the very first, and the reason we are all still here.

See you soon,

Mouse xx

PREVIOUS THREAD

FIRST EVER THREAD

help thanks babe xxx

Baby what a lovely moment with your DD perfect ending to a perfect day - may there be many more.

If this is too much information I'm sorry but I wanted to record it so I'd be able to remember these first days of detoxing.

Got a bit of a cough well had it for weeks now actually and just had a really bad coughing fit followed by a horrible vomit and a ridiculous nosebleed that just poured out all over the sink.

I remember reading on another recovery thread from MIFLAW (is he still on here - what a guy!) that alcohol suppresses lots of symptoms in your body and when you give your body a chance to recover its on overload trying to fix everything at once.

WHAT ON EARTH HAVE I BEEN DOING TO MY SYSTEM FOR IT TO REACT THIS WAY ?

Poor you! It sounds like a random thing to me. One of the lovely things about getting sober is the realisation that sometimes shit happens and it's not your fault!
That was an earth shattering realisation for me. Everytime something went wrong there was the inner voice saying, well of course you failed/ looked stupid/ took on too much you're worthless.
Even dragging it back to me today, if I'd had this (painful complication after tooth extraction, can't eat, look like a wonky adder, I might have mentioned it ) it would have been so much worse - I'd have felt it was self inflicted, my fault, it's one thing after an other, etc.
Love and HALT to all.

Koala, please tell the GP about all your symptoms today including liver pain and bloating and get properly checked out - scarey but better to know if you are poorly than stick your head in the sand. You can and are doing something about it. Good luck at aa today, sounds like a really good ideaX

Absolutely Koala, be really frank with the gp and get it all checked. Remember, it's probably nothing but if it is something it can be treated. Every single hour with alcohol is helping you heal. Body and mind. Don't expect too much from yourself. Don't blame yourself. You can only move forward. One step at a time. One day, hour, minute at a time. We will be here x

Definitely Koala! Don't beat yourself up but don't be an ostrich either!!

koala you are doing brilliantly. Nine bottles NOT drunk already. That's at elast £50 saved and about a billion calories. Hang in there and the improvements in your health will start flooding in.

Thanks Guys - this is just a quick check in as I actually overslept today !
So quick bath and off to GP - unfortunately its just the nurse Im seeing, but youre right I will mention it to her. Time to Wake Up and Smell the Coffee.

oh and I WILL NOT BE DRINKING TODAY !

koala your so brave going through all this and you should be so so proud of yourself m. As a
fair very wisely said, with every passing hour your body is healing, don't worry about tomorrow it will take care of itself!! There are so many people following this thread and we are all with you every step of the way. Let us know how today goes, big giant bear hug and to every other babe, have a great day x x x

Morning lovely Babes.

koala - good luck with the nurse (I hate medical apps so assume everyone does ...). Sounds like you are doing brilliantly, well done! faire is right, you are healing yourself all the time you're off the booze, your body can feel it, and soon you should feel it too.

FWIW I often get a horrible sore throat/cold symptoms when I quit (I really shouldn't be able to say 'often' ). I think it might be partly to do with getting a bit dehydrated. I'm sure the nurse will tell you what's going on but just wanted to say, I think I recognize what's happening, even though yours sounds nastier than my experience.

baby - aww, that all sounds great! What a lovely positive post.

I am also feeling positive - up at 9am today (I know that is shocking if you've got a real job, but I don't, and I've just not been able to get my eyes open in the morning the last couple of days). For me it is day 6.

Onwards and upwards.

(Oops, forgot to say - joey, thanks, that makes sense about the sleeping!)

Hi babes

Thank you for the lovely welcome back t'other day, you are very kind.

I'm loving the positivity here on the thread- good for you koala, you are making massive progress. Hope the nurse is useful.

I've just read an article in the review section of the paper about Marian Keyes the author, she was an alcoholic and fortunately, has recovered. She's a fab author and a very funny, witty lady. It helps me to remember that ANYONE, from any walk in life can be addicted to alcohol, it isn't because we're stupid or weak or because crap has happened to us.

I caved in and had a glass of champagne last night.But I didn't go out and buy a new bottle of wine, which I would have done in the past. In case you are wondering about my logic there, apparantly champagne doesn't count and you 'need' some 'plain' wine to go with it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Perhaps I used to think that the 'plain' wine would make me sober after the sparkling alcohol?

So, I've been on or lurking around the bus for a while now and I'm much more aware of how I think and behave around alcohol.I won't be drinking today.

Oh, I read that article - so good. I like her work very much, and her frankness about alcoholism and depression.

I didn't realize she wasn't even 30 before she went into rehab, though, poor woman. Mind you, I'm 28 so I should know.

Well done you for sticking to one glass, and good luck with today.

28! Oh god I am sooooo old

LRD you are a spring chicken, and a very wise bird you are too.Well done for tackling the booze now [ rather than leaving it till near pension age,like me]

6 days is awesome, you will be thin and glowing for christmas. Normally by the time i get to christmas dinner I'm fed up of rich food and booze.

You're not old, shurrup!

I hope I can stay off it this time. I am trying.

(Liking the sound of 'thin and glowing' ... while I scoff all the extra treats I am 'allowed' instead of the booze ... ).

lrd. day 6 great job, time to treat yourself to a new bright lipstick to celebrate your success, my only problem is I can't stop eating!!! I know it's a much lesser evil but I really want a new body and shiny new skin to reflect my efforts but I associate wine and food as a REWARD, I need to change that mindset, guggenheim Marian Keyes is fabulous funny and stone cold sober so there's hope for us all xxxx

Baby how lovely that your 13 year-old kissed you - mine doesn't do it much anymore, although last night she slept in my bed for the first time in aeons because she'd watched a scary film earlier and couldn't sleep. Gugg you surely can't be as old as me, although I won't be retiring anytime soon. I had no idea Marian Keyes was an alcoholic - like you I get huge inspiration from reading about people in the public eye (writers mostly) who have kicked the booze - Caroline Knapp and Tania Glyde to name but two.

Koala I hope you get some good advice from the nurse, do let us know how you got on. It's day 9 for me and pretty clear that life is much calmer when I abstain; maybe I miss the highs of getting pissed (which as we all know don't last) but having things on an even keel is surely more important. Hope it lasts this time....

Hi

soba good to hear from you, day 9, well done! Ok I'm nowhere near retirement age really, I'm 42 and have a 3 yr old so I just feel and look ancient. Glad to hear that there is a Marion Keyes fan club here. Rachel's Holiday is one of the best books about addiction I've read. I'm going to look up Caroline Knapp & Tania Glyde. Have they written about recovery?

baby the combination of eating treats to stay off the booze and the over eating due to it being christmas is not good for me. I have little will power at the best of times but I'm constantly stuffing my face at the moment. I'm going to a children's party this pm and I'm already planning to stuff face on kiddy snacks....

Not planning on drinking tho!

OOh! I've downloaded and I'm reading the Tania Glyde book. It's sending shivers down my spine.

Tonight I will be [mostly] drinking orange juice and reading recovery books.

another one here who loved Rachels Holiday (although I didn't identify with it at the time!)

Well I was drinking Friday and Saturday. It all started to go a bit pear-shaped Saturday night/Sunday morning, especially with the arrival of my mother. I got some more wine yesterday... and it is still in the boot of my car! Its really hard to get off the slippery slope once on there, so the bottle is staying there until tomorrow at least. I think tonight will be hard, wow it really is harder to be controlled than it is to abstain altogether.

Although part of me argues that since it is harder to control than abstain, I might as well drink it now and then I can confidently stay sober till next weekend.

I sort of want to drink it and then don't at the same time...

stay strong alias - leave it in the car.......
well done to all the positive babes on here.
and you ARE all babes - I am so old I am venerable compared to you lot.

Hi Gugg, yes you are younger than me, but I'm not telling you by how much! Yes, the Tania Glyde book is amazing and is harrowing and hilarious at the same time. I urge you to read Caroline Knapp too; she was a truly beautiful woman who sadly died of lung cancer a while after she'd kicked the booze (what a bitch life can be).

Joey controlled drinking is far harder than abstaining for me too. I really don't know what the answer is, we just have to keep on keeping on I suppose.

Hi Babes and thanks for the messages of support. LRD you're doing great and Guggenheim well done for having the self control to stop before getting bladdered on a bottle!

How you doing Baby - youre so supportive of us all and I was wondering just how YOU are doing ? Tell me where you sit on the bus and I'll come along and have a natter.

As for me Nurse was lovely but only doing a test so couldnt really ask her too much, but I've made another appointment for some more tests.

Day went pretty much as planned got a few more pressies and had a lovely look around town then onto the AA meeting. Was following a lady along the street and was thinking she looks just like me I hope she goes into the Church - and whaddayouknow she did!
It was very emotional for me - stories and 'shares' resonated on so many levels - one bloke who I would normally feel really intimidated by - his story really hit a chord and that was it blubbing for 10 mins. Eveyone very supportive and going to a womans group on Wednesday evening.

Normally at 3pm after a day out I'd be gagging to get home and open the first bottle of the day - but today I decided I'd go to the cinema (first time for yonks on my own) and saw the Hobbit. Only problem was I didn't realise it was 3 hours long and is the first of another trilogy - I obviously have not been paying attention to anything recently whilst in the booze fog.

Booked a hair appointment for tomorrow based on the 12 bottles of wine not drunk so far and the fact I haven't had a haircut for at least 9 months - My 'fringe' is touching my chin!

Tired so bit of telly and early night I hope.

Hi,

joey drink some soft drink and have something to eat. Have lots to eat then the craving will pass. Maybe get rid of the wine tomorrow Hope you are ok?

soma I will read the Caroline Knapp book too. I glanced at a picture on google and she was a very elegant woman. Thanks for the recommendations.

Well, I kind of have some good news. I just about passed my first essay for my course. It's been extremely hard and I didn't think i would manage it at all. So I am so pleased to have got through the stress. It was a skin of the teeth kind of pass (as my tutor helpfully pointed out ) but I don't care, I'm more of a trier than a flyer anyway.